U.K. metal act Iron Knights (formerly known as Stuka Squadron) announced the new album "Iron Knights" - the band's second album - will be released on May 5th via Metalbox Recordings. The album features the new lineup as follows:

U.K. metal act Iron Knights (formerly Stuka Squadron) has announced a series of tour dates in late February and early March.

Details are available in the tour poster below, or over at the band's official Facebook profile here. The band also previously issued the following announcement:

"Just to update everybody, Jay Parmar has stepped down from Iron Knights, which means that the 21 December show in Camden has been moved to 21 February 2014 to coincide with our first small UK jaunt. The band are still deep into recording and everything is on track for the album to emerge early next year. Expect more tour dates and the second guitarist to be announced soon." More...

Iron Knights is now offering the "Destroyer" track as a free download via the band's official website here. Iron Knights also checked in with the following update:

"Formed from the ashes of a fallen Squadron, forged in the fires of that purgatory where the dead won’t die yet the living can’t live. At long last we emerge from the shadows of the past; it is a time of reinvention.

"Although the roots of the band can be traced back to 2008, the real change that has lifted the band to new heights took place at the end of a European support tour with Vicious Rumors in May/June 2013. From the original Iron Knights, bassist Paul ‘Beam’ Robbie and drummer Larry Paterson were the sole survivors.

"Their respective musical journeys have been linked since they formed their first band in New Zealand in 1983: Aftermath. Since then they have appeared in numerous bands, both in New Zealand and the UK where they eventually relocated at separate times over the decades that followed. Amongst the various musical adventures that followed, they were both members of UK bands Metalhead and Chokehold, after which Larry spent years with former Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley. Eventually they were musically reunited once more in Stuka Squadron, which subsequently became Iron Knights leading to June 2013. With half of the original Iron Knights’ ranks depleted, they soon recruited two highly experienced veterans on the UK metal world into the fold. First of all, Jay Parmar came aboard to handle guitars. More...

Iron Knights (f/k/a Stuka Squadron) vocalist James Duke Fang-Begley announced his departure from the band today in a post on his Facebook page, which reads:

"Dear fans, friends and family. It is with great sadness I tell you that I am leaving the mighty Iron Knights. This has been a long and difficult decision but there are various personal reasons that mean I am unable to continue further with the band. I would like to take the opportunity to thank ALL of you for the incredible support that you have shown over the years. You are truly the greatest people on the planet. I won't be disappearing from the stage but here ends my chapter in our histories blackened page. To the Iron Knights/Stuka Squadron family, I would like to say that it has been an unforgettable Heavy Metal experience and thank you for the amazing and hard fought times we shared. I will always support you in the future as a fan and friend."

The band released "New Sound of War" back in November 2012 via Metalbox Records. Just Previous to that the band had changed its name after the schism with former bassist Lord Graham Pyre.

The Order of Chaos has checked in with the following announcement about upcoming European shows:

"We are extremely pleased to announce that The Order of Chaos will be returning to Europe in May 2013 as support for legendary bay area thrash gods Vicious Rumors! We are thrilled to make a return Europe and we hope to see some familiar and fresh faces headbanging in May!"

Bassist and founder of Stuka Squadron, Lord Graham Pyre, publicly addressed the current dispute with former members stemming from his split with the band. The band formerly known as Stuka Squadron changed its name to Iron Knights and will release the album "New Sound of War" on November 26, 2012.

Pyre has assumed the official website and is set to launch the sequel to the first Squadron album "Tales From the Ost" (See Metal Underground.com's review at this location) entitled "Project Vulcan." The album is expected through Iron Crown Records soon.

Hammerfest 2013 has just announced that along with St. Vitus, the festival line-up has just added legendary band Killing Joke. Angel Witch and a veritable who's who of metal will also be appearing at the Hammerfest 4 festival, which will take place on March 14th-16th at Haven Hafan y Môr Holiday Park, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales. Below is the current full line-up of bands appearing, with more information available over at the Hammerfest 4 website.

U.K. traditional metal vampires Stuka Squadron announced that the band has changed its name to Iron Knights. The official press release from Metalbox Recording reads as follows:

"Iron Knights is the new name for the band previously known as Stuka Squadron.

"The official band statement explaining the reasons for this change can be found here: www.stuka-squadron.com (website due to change).

"The new website is www.ironknightsband.com and will be live imminently.

"The release of the album ‘New Sound Of War’ will be postponed from the original release date of 19 November 2012 to 26 November 2012 and it will be an Iron Knights album.

"On behalf of Iron Knights, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize in advance for the confusion this change will cause – it has not been an easy decision. I would also like to thank everyone that has supported the band and continues to support them going forward." More...